In the first part of this article, Beyond the Arc: What Actually Wins in Europe, we focused on data to identify the best teams in transition. Now we turn to film to actually see how they do it.
A lot has been written about teams like Paris or Valencia, as the flag bearers of the transition game in the past few years. High pace is one of the latest trends in modern basketball, and coaches are analysing fast-paced teams to try to implement their concepts into their own game.
However, it's not just running a faster offense that makes you score more. Finishing offenses according to the characteristics of the roster and emphasizing quality shot selection can also increase output.
Here are a few examples I think show this:
Olympia Milano
Indeed, the Italian powerhouse underperformed again (Last season was their fourth consecutive year missing the Euroleague playoffs), but that doesn't mean they don't have strengths, and their transition game is one.
Many know the importance of three-pointers, but Milano seems to have a plan in terms of executing in the first seconds of the possession.
I've divided these shots into three types: wing 3-pointer, corner 3-pointer and big men trailing.
In the first category, two names come to the spotlight: Shavon Shields and Armoni Brooks. Different profiles in Europe, Shields a veteran and Brooks a rookie, but both are perfect swords for executing fast, mainly from the wing.
For corner 3-pointers, we see them relying either on a quick, long outlet or an extra pass once the defense tries to contest at the wing.
But what makes Milano deadly in this field is having two big men with shooting prowess like Zach LeDay and Giampaolo Ricci, seasoned players that know when to get to their favorite spots without really needing to sprint.
Vanoli Cremona
If we stay in Italy, we find an even less obvious candidate for the list: Vanoli Cremona. But it looks like they made a conscious decision.
The data: They had the highest percentage in early shots (23%), the second highest 3-point rate (51%) and a 37% accuracy (56%eFG). It's still 11%eFG lower than 2-point attempts, but you see them often relying on adding three by three.
You'll see in the video how many 3-pointers come after a player dribbles to the hoop and passes once he has stepped a foot in the paint, making the defense collapse and leave the triple uncontested.
However, shot selection is tightly related to efficiency. "You miss all the shots you don't take", but pull-up 3-pointers are usually a lot less profitable than spotting up.
Though we don't only want to focus on the good. Here we can see a bit of hero ball. Some go in, some don't.
MHP Riesen Ludwisberg
Are we going too indie now? In a city known for its Baroque heritage, this German club replicates some of the exuberance and intense emotions the artists expressed back in the day in the form of a fast and furious team that relies on pace (Second highest in Bundesliga) and 3-pointers.
Mikko Ripinen’s name might not be mainstream, but he developed a clear style with Norrköping, finishing top-3 in three-point attempts in Swedish Basketligan over the four previous seasons. His team also recorded the highest transition 3-pointer per game in the 2024-25 season, his last one before moving to Germany.
Now with Ludwigsburg, having fearless shooters like Elijah Hughes, who fires 7.7 3-point attempts per night (13 per 40 mins!), definitely helps fit the profile. Nevertheless, this team needs to take care of the ball a bit better, as they turn it over a lot.
So the signing of a coach is directly related to pace and shot diet, right? It reminds me of the case of Pedro Martínez, who developed his now acclaimed style in Manresa and then skyrocketed it in Valencia, leading the team to win the Spanish ACB and unexpectedly making the Euroleague Final Four.
The question now is whether he will do the same with Real Madrid or adapt to the roster and a more result-oriented powerhouse.
Brose Bamberg
Here’s another German team but with a different style. Instead of over-indexing on 3-pointers, the Bavarian side has been practical and stands out with an amazing two-point percentage of 78%in the first 8 seconds of the possession. If we do the math, you need to score 52% on 3-pointers. For context, the best team in the top European league is the aforementioned Olimpia Milano with 45% (the equivalent of 68%2P). See their numbers in transition:
Undoubtedly, the best way to increase efficiency is attacking the basket. With an astonishing 80% at the rim in transition, there's no better way to score.
For that, you need fast, strong players that can run the floor and finish fearlessly, plus a coach that doesn't yell when a risky pass goes to the stands. The higher the risk, the higher the reward, even if there’s some collateral damage.
Have some popcorn and watch these highlights. It’s showtime!
So as we’ve seen, different roads lead to transition efficiency. Analysis and self-scouting definitely help to find the edge to score a couple more points per game. Sometimes, those points are all it takes to win a close match.
